Moisture shield for spark plugs



Aug. 30,1949. G. BURRELI.Y 'y '21,480,545'

MOISTURE SHIELD FOR SPARK'PLUGS Filed June 6, 1947 Inventor George G. Burrell Patented Aug; 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOISTURE SHIELD FOR SPARK PLUGS George G. Burrell, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assigner to Sealtight Corporation, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application June 6, 1947, Serial No. 752,921

2 Claims. 1

This invention appertains to novel and useful improvements on spark plug shields and fastening means. similar subject matter in Patent 2,436,712, dated February 24, 1948.

An object of this invention is to provide means for preventing moisture from engaging selected portions of spark plugs and means for conveniently and easily attaching and detaching said first mentioned means.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means for retaining an ignition wire within a housing, forming part of the present invention.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a device of the nature to be described which is adaptable to conventional spark plugs of various sizes and configurations.

A still further purpose of this invention resides in the provision of an extremely simple device, entirely free of mechanically moving elements and which further utilizes a bare minimum of components.

It is another intent of the present invention to provide an improved resilient spark plug engaging means which is pliable in order to conform to the various configurations of spark plugs.

It is another intent of this invention to provide common means for conducting current from the conventional distributing wire to the pole of a plug and for clipping the invention to said plug.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty shall become apparent to those skilled inthe art, in following the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 lis an elevational side view of the preferred form of the present invention, showing the same utilized in conjunction with a conventional spark plug;

Figure 2 is an elevational side view of a spark plug and a longitudinal sectional view of the invention incorporated therewith and taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention disclosed in Figure 2 and taken substantially on the line 3-3 thereof and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the invention disclosed in Figure 1, and; i

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view oi' the invention disclosed in Figure 1 and taken substantially on the line 5-5 thereof and in the direction oi the arrows.

Further, this invention relates to Referring now in detail to the illustrative preferred embodiment of the present invention, like reference characters are used throughout to indicate similar elements.

This invention has been conceived and developed to provide a device which is extremely simple in construction and further, which lends itself well to commercial manufacture and cornmon shop practices. The difficulties arising from wet spark plugs and the like are well known. Eflicient operation oi the internal combustion engine associated therewith (or other prime mover) is impaired and materially reduced.v It is also well -known in the art that periodically spark plugs should be cleaned and readjusted. During this-foperation the conventional ignition wires must be removed from the pole extending therefrom. It is not infrequent that the mechanic grasps the said ignition wire and pulls the same violently from the said pole. As often as not, the conventional clip is either broken or pulled from the ignition wire thereby causing additional repair. This invention has been developed to obviate the above mentioned difficulties..

Heretofore 'moisture shields and clips for distributor wires have been developed, invented and patented. However, inspection of a selected gure in the drawings discloses that this invention is developed and rendered fully operative by util' ity of only four mechanicall elements. The extreme simplicity characterized in the present invention is paramount in the commercial feasibility and practicability of the present invention.

A conventional spark plug generally indicated at i is disclosed as utilized in conjunction with a conventional cylinder head l2, only a portion thereof being shown. The usual, conventional pole il' is shown extending from the porcelain portion of the said spark plug and the conventional capscrew IB is threadingly received thereon as is well known in the art. Of course, other appurtenances contiguous to spark plugs are disclosed; however they form no part of the present invention and are not directly connected therewith. Accordingly, a description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

A housing Il having a bore 20 therein is provided of a phenolic condensate product or some other commercial plastic material. An extension 22 projects substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the said housing I8 and a second bore 24 is received therein. This second bore is substantially perpendicular to the said ilrst bore 2l and communicates therewith. y

An enlargement or recess 26 is provided in the said bore 20. Then. it will be seen from an inspection of Figure 3 that a resilient shroud or spark plug engaging member 28 is provided in said bore 20 and more specifically in the said recess 28. It is a sleeve or an extension- 80 of the said shroud 28 which is received in the recess 26.

Common means foi-Slipping the invention to a conventional spark plug i and for conducting electrical energy thereto is provided. This common means is in the form of an insert or sleeve 82 which is positioned in the bore 20. A portion of the said insert 32 engages the sleeve 30 of the said resilient shroud 28 thereby defining a pocket defined by the inner walls of the recess 2G and the outer periphery of the said insert 82. It will be seen that this construction affords a second means for clamping and retaining the said shroud 28 within the body member I8.

Improved means for retaining a conventional distributor or ignition wire 34 within the extension 22 is provided. This improved means consists of a rod 3B extending through suitable apertues 38 and 40 aligned in the insert 32. ease in manufacture, the forward portion of the said rod 38 may be bevelled and for retaining the said rod within the bore 24 of the extension 22, a serrated enlargement or shoulder 42 extends therearound. This serrated portion obviously engages the contines of the said .bore 24. Friction means, preferably a tapered screw 85 extends from the said rod 36 for the purpose of engaging the metallic portion of l a conventional distributor wire 34. Upon this engagement, the said ignition wire 34 will obviously be spread or expanded against the contines of the bor 24. It is q-uite obvious `that this expansion will assist in retaining the said distributor wire within the bore 24 and consequently Within the invention.

It will be noted that the present invention with its extension 22 provides a convenient member to grasp in removing the same from a spark plug and also, it provides an effective moisture shield for utility with conventional spark plugs.

The insert 32 has an inwardly disposed crimp 33 forming a .clip for the cap screw l-B. By this construction, the insert, and consequently the device, is retained in place on a spark plug in a positive manner by simply pressing the insert appropriately on a spark plug. 'Ihe clamping action takes place through the medium of the crimp 33 engaging the spark plug cap screw rmly.

While there has been described and illustrated but a single preferred embodiment of the present invention, capable of performing all of the specifically mentioned objects as Well as numerous other objects, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes including omissions, additions and rearrangement of elements may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, limitation is sought only in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

, Y 4 Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An attachment for a spark plug lwhich has a spark plug terminal nut, comprising an electrically insulating housing having a bore therein, means comprising a resilient member having a sleeve extending therefrom, said member being For A adapted to engage a portion of a spark plug, an enlargement in said bore having said sleeve disposed therein, an electrically conductive insert disposed in said sleeve and said bore and having an aperture therein, said insert having a crimp for clampingly engaging the sparkplug terminal nut. a transverse bore in said electrically insulating housing, means -for retaining an ignition wire 'in said transverse bore including ya tapered rod disposed in said transverse bore and passed through the aperture in said insert, and means lforming a part of said' retaining means integral with said rod for frictionally retaining the ignition wire thereon in said transverse bore.

2. An attachment for a spark plug which has a peripherally grooved spark plug terminal nut, comprising a housing made of electrically insulating material, a coaxial bore and counterbore in said housing and a transverse bore in said housing opening into said bore, a resilient member with an opening therein, said member being adapted to be disposed on a part of a spark plug so that a part of the spark plug is disposed in the member opening, a sleeve integral with said resilient member and disposed in said counterbore, a metallic insert having a pair of apertures therein and disposed in said sleeve and said bore, said transverse bore having a longitudinal axis with the apertures in the insert aligned therewith, a crimp in the side of said insert for clampingly engaging the side of the peripherally grooved nut, a rod having -a tapered end disposed in said apertures establishing electrical communication with said insert, and said rod having a threaded portion disposed in said transverse bore for. threadingly engaging a distributor wire.

GEORGE G. BURRHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PA'I''NTS 

